Minister Hosts Forum with Housing Experts
The Ontario government has concluded an online consultation to get ideas to make more affordable, and good-quality places to live by convening a forum that brought more than 200 people together.
“High prices and a lack of choice are impacting peoples’ ability to afford housing, and the businesses that employ them. Our government is taking steps to increase the supply of housing that is affordable and the consultation confirmed that high housing costs are a concern for people across the province,” said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark. “I’d like to thank everyone who participated and assure them their ideas will help inform our housing supply action plan this spring.”
Over 80 per cent of the almost 2,000 submissions received through the online consultation came from the general public. More than half said their top criteria when looking for a home was affordability, followed by having transit, schools and services nearby.
The consultation focussed on reducing housing costs and overcoming barriers to building more housing, such as:
How long it takes to get new housing developments approved
Restrictions on building a mix of different types of housing
High development costs due to rising land prices and government fees
Difficulties both landlords and tenants face
More innovation in the housing sector
“We are going to remove barriers and red tape that is limiting the supply of housing and driving up costs,” said Clark. “Making housing more affordable means we need to start building more housing and providing the right kind of housing options. Getting this right will create jobs and make Ontario a more attractive place for businesses and investors.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
